AP Human Geography Course Description Effective 2015 AP HUMAN GEOGRAPHY Course Description E f f e c t i v e F a l l 2 0 1 5 AP Course Descriptions are updated regularly Please visit AP Central® (apce[.]
Trang 1HUMAN
GEOGRAPHY
Course Description
E f f e c t i v e F a l l 2 0 1 5
AP Course Descriptions are updated regularly Please visit AP Central®
Trang 2HUMAN
GEOGRAPHY
Course Description
E f f e c t i v e F a l l 2 0 1 5
Trang 3About the College Board
The College Board is a mission-driven not-for-profit organization that connects students to college success and opportunity Founded in 1900, the College Board was created to expand access to higher education Today, the membership
association is made up of over 6,000 of the world’s leading educational institutions and is dedicated to promoting excellence and equity in education Each year, the College Board helps more than seven million students prepare for a successful transition to college through programs and services in college readiness and college success — including the SAT® and the Advanced Placement Program® The organization also serves the education community through research and advocacy on behalf of students, educators, and schools.
For further information, visit www.collegeboard.org.
AP®
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The College Board strongly encourages educators to make equitable access a guiding principle for their AP® programs by giving all willing and academically prepared students the opportunity to participate in AP We encourage the elimination of barriers that restrict access to AP for students from ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic groups that have been traditionally underrepresented Schools should make every effort to ensure their AP classes reflect the diversity of their student population The College Board also believes that all students should have access to academically challenging course work before they enroll in AP classes, which can prepare them for AP success It is only through a commitment to equitable preparation and access that true equity and excellence can be achieved.
AP Course Descriptions
AP course descriptions are updated regularly Please visit AP Central®
(apcentral.collegeboard.org) to determine whether a more recent course
description PDF is available.
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Trang 4Contents
5 About AP®
6 Offering AP Courses and Enrolling Students6 How AP Courses and Exams Are Developed6 How AP Exams Are Scored
7 Using and Interpreting AP Scores 7 Additional Resources
8 Introduction to AP Human Geography8 Overview of This Guide
8 Course Prerequisites
8 Reading Level of Course Texts
9 Expectations for Writing in the Course10 AP Human Geography Course Overview10 Course Content and Its Presentation10 Course Goals
12 Course Design: Depth over Breadth
13 AP Course Audit and Curricular and Resource Requirements15 Course Curriculum
15 General Learning Outcomes15 Skills and Practices
15 World Regions Maps17 Curriculum Topics
17 I Geography: Its Nature and Perspectives17 II Population and Migration
18 III Cultural Patterns and Processes18 IV Political Organization of Space
Trang 522 AP Human Geography Curriculum Articulation 44 Course Instruction
44 Ways to Organize Instruction45 Instructional Strategies 47 Reading for the Course
47 Characteristics of the Expected or Necessary Reading48 Types of Texts Appropriate for the Course
48 Vocabulary
49 Helping Students with Difficult Reading
50 The Role of Technology in the Course51 Writing in the Course
51 Expectations for Student Writing52 Informal Writing
52 Research Papers52 The Role of Argument53 Multimodal Composition
53 Writing for Free-Response Items on the AP Human Geography Exam
55 Classroom Assessments
55 Formative and Summative Assessment55 Feedback
57 Essential Resources 58 College Board Resources
59 The AP Human Geography Exam
60 Sample AP Human Geography Exam Items
60 Multiple-Choice Section
60 Sample Multiple-Choice Questions66 Answers to Multiple-Choice Questions
67 Free-Response Section
Trang 6About AP®
AP enables students to pursue college-level studies while still in high school Through more than 30 courses, each culminating in a rigorous exam, AP provides willing and academically prepared students with the opportunity to earn college credit and/or advanced placement Taking AP courses also demonstrates to college admission officers that students have sought out the most rigorous course work available to them.
Each AP course is modeled upon a comparable college course, and college and university faculty play a vital role in ensuring that AP courses align with college-level standards Talented and dedicated AP teachers help AP students in classrooms around the world develop and apply the content knowledge and skills they will need later in college.
Each AP course concludes with a college-level assessment developed and scored by college and university faculty and experienced AP teachers AP Exams are an essential part of the AP experience, enabling students to demonstrate their mastery of college-level course work Most four-year colleges and universities in the United States and universities in more than 60 countries recognize AP in the admission process and grant students credit, placement, or both on the basis of successful AP
Exam scores Visit www.collegeboard.org/apcreditpolicy to view AP credit and
placement policies at more than 1,000 colleges and universities.
Performing well on an AP Exam means more than just the successful completion of a course; it is a gateway to success in college Research consistently shows that students who receive a score of 3 or higher on AP Exams typically experience greater academic success in college and have higher graduation rates than their non-AP peers.1 Additional AP studies are available at www.collegeboard.org/
research.
1 See the following research studies for more details:
Linda Hargrove, Donn Godin, and Barbara Dodd, College Outcomes Comparisons by AP and Non-AP High
School Experiences (New York: The College Board, 2008).
Chrys Dougherty, Lynn Mellor, and Shuling Jian, The Relationship Between Advanced Placement and
Trang 7Offering AP Courses and Enrolling Students
This AP Course Description details the essential information required to understand
the objectives and expectations of an AP course The AP Program unequivocally supports the principle that each school implements its own curriculum that will enable students to develop the content knowledge and skills described here.Schools wishing to offer AP courses must participate in the AP Course Audit, a process through which AP teachers’ syllabi are reviewed by college faculty The AP Course Audit was created at the request of College Board members who sought a means for the College Board to provide teachers and administrators with clear guidelines on curricular and resource requirements for AP courses and to help colleges and universities validate courses marked “AP” on students’ transcripts This process ensures that AP teachers’ syllabi meet or exceed the curricular and resource expectations that college and secondary school faculty have established for college-level courses For more information on the AP Course Audit, visit
www.collegeboard.org/apcourseaudit.
How AP Courses and Exams Are Developed
Committees of college faculty and expert AP teachers design AP courses and exams to ensure that each AP subject reflects and assesses college-level expectations AP Development Committees define the scope and expectations of the course, articulating what students should know and be able to do upon completion of the AP course.
The AP Development Committees are also responsible for drawing clear and well-articulated connections between the AP course and AP Exam The AP Exam development process is a multiyear endeavor; all AP Exams undergo extensive review, revision, piloting, and analysis to ensure that the questions are fair, of high quality, and reflect an appropriate range of difficulty.
How AP Exams Are Scored
Trang 8The score-setting process is both precise and labor intensive, involving numerous psychometric analyses of the results of a specific AP Exam in a specific year and of the particular group of students who took that exam Additionally, to ensure alignment with college-level standards, part of the score-setting process involves comparing the performance of AP students with the performance of students enrolled in comparable courses in colleges throughout the United States In general, the AP composite score points are set so that the lowest raw score needed to earn an AP score of 5 is equivalent to the average score among college students earning grades of A in the college course Similarly, AP Exam scores of 4 are equivalent to college grades of A-, B+, and B AP Exam scores of 3 are equivalent to college grades of B-, C+, and C.
Using and Interpreting AP Scores
College faculty are involved in every aspect of AP, from course and exam
development to scoring and standards alignment These faculty members ensure that the courses and exams meet colleges’ expectations for content taught in comparable college courses Based upon outcomes research and program
evaluation, the American Council on Education (ACE) and the Advanced Placement Program recommend that colleges grant credit and/or placement to students with AP Exam scores of 3 and higher The AP score of 3 is equivalent to grades of B-, C+, and C in the equivalent college course However, colleges and universities set their own AP credit, advanced standing, and course placement policies based on their unique needs and objectives.
AP Score5Recommendation 4Well qualified3Qualified2Possibly qualified1No recommendationAdditional Resources
Visit http://apcentral.collegeboard.org for more information about the AP Program.
Trang 9Introduction to AP Human Geography
The AP Human Geography course introduces students to the systematic study of patterns and processes that have shaped human understanding, use, and alteration of Earth’s surface Students learn to employ spatial concepts and landscape
analysis to examine human socioeconomic organization and its environmental consequences They also learn about the methods and tools geographers use in their research and applications.
Overview of This Guide
This publication is intended to give school administrators and AP Human Geography teachers a detailed summary of the curricular requirements for the course, as well as a summary of the performance expectations for students in the course It also provides guidance about strategies for effective instruction and formative assessment — both crucial elements in engaging high school learners in a college-level curriculum.
The publication contains a curriculum articulation (see page 22), which identifies the following:
▶ Essential knowledge that students should learn in the course
▶ Learning objectives that identify what students should know and be able to do by the end of the course
▶ Enduring understandings that specify core concepts that students should retain from their learning experiences
The curriculum articulation also identifies questions and prompts from released AP Human Geography Exams that align with specific learning objectives; this information helps define both the curriculum that teachers must cover in the course and the knowledge and skills that may be assessed on the AP Exam
Additionally, this publication contains detailed information about the AP Human Geography Exam, including sample exam items and a summary of scoring rubrics.
Course Prerequisites
There are no prerequisites for AP Human Geography; however, students who have had experience with world geography, world history, or earth science may more easily address the objectives of this course Experience with reading and interpreting data in various forms (e.g., graphs and maps) would also be beneficial Students may have been effectively introduced to geographic terminology and concepts as early as at the elementary school level.
Reading Level of Course Texts
Trang 10to summarize and evaluate textual information They should also be able to read and interpret maps and graphic data The ability to perform basic mathematical operations is also useful in this course.
Expectations for Writing in the Course
Trang 11AP Human Geography Course Overview
Course Content and Its Presentation
AP Human Geography presents high school students with the curricular equivalent of an introductory college-level course in human geography or cultural geography Content is presented thematically rather than regionally and is organized around the discipline’s main subfields: economic geography, cultural geography, political geography, and urban geography The approach is spatial and problem oriented Case studies are drawn from all world regions, with an emphasis on understanding the world in which we live today Historical information serves to enrich analysis of the impacts of phenomena such as globalization, colonialism, and human–environment relationships on places, regions, cultural landscapes, and patterns of interaction
Specific topics with which students engage include the following:
▶ problems of economic development and cultural change
▶ consequences of population growth, changing fertility rates, and international migration
▶ impacts of technological innovation on transportation, communication, industrialization, and other aspects of human life
▶ struggles over political power and control of territory
▶ conflicts over the demands of ethnic minorities, the role of women in society, and the inequalities between developed and developing economies
▶ explanations of why location matters to agricultural land use, industrial development, and urban problems
▶ the role of climate change and environmental abuses in shaping the human landscapes on Earth
Course Goals
Trang 12The particular topics studied in an AP Human Geography course should align with the following college-level goals, which are based on the National Geography Standards developed in 1994 (and revised in 2012).2 On successful completion of the course, students should have developed skills that enable them to do the following:
▶ Interpret maps and analyze geospatial data Geography addresses the ways in
which patterns on Earth’s surface reflect and influence physical and human
processes As such, maps, geographic information systems (GIS), satellite imagery, remote sensing, and aerial photographs are fundamental to the discipline, and learning to use and think about these data sources is critical to geographic literacy The goal is achieved when students learn to use maps and geospatial data to pose and solve problems, such as making predictions about the location of future urban growth for a particular city Students should also learn to think critically about the patterns and information revealed or hidden in different types of maps and other forms of geospatial data.
▶ Understand the associations and networks among phenomena in particular places and explain their implications The study of geography requires one to examine the
world from a spatial perspective in order to understand the changing distribution of human activities on Earth’s surface and the impact on natural resources A spatial perspective allows one to focus on the ways phenomena are related to one another in particular places For example, political instability in one part of the world may be connected to changing urban neighborhood demographics on another continent due to refugee and immigrant streams Additionally, networks between producers and consumers are constantly changing in a globalized world In this course, students learn to:
› recognize and interpret patterns and networks
› assess the nature and significance of the relationships among phenomena that occur in the same place
› analyze the ways cultural values, political policies, and economic forces work together to create particular landscapes (e.g., associations between exurban developments in the United States and the agriculturally productive Central Valley of California)
▶ Recognize and interpret the relationships among patterns and processes at different scales of analysis Geographic analysis requires a sensitivity to scale, not just as a
spatial category but as a framework for understanding how events and processes at different scales influence one another and change according to the scale of analysis Students should therefore understand that the phenomena they are studying at one scale (e.g., local) may well be influenced by processes and developments at other scales (e.g., global, regional, national, state, provincial) For example, the closing of a manufacturing plant could be the result of global forces beyond the control of officials at the local level Students should examine processes operating at multiple scales when seeking explanations of geographic patterns and arrangements.
▶ Define regions and evaluate the regionalization process The study of geography
requires one to not simply describe patterns but also analyze how these patterns
2 “National Geography Standards and Skills,” National Geographic, accessed December 1, 2014,
Trang 13came about and what they mean Students should see regions (i.e., areas that share both human and physical characteristics) as objects of analysis and exploration; instead of simply locating and describing regions, they should consider how and why regions come into being and what they reveal about the changing character of the world in which we live Examples of the regionalization process frequently come into focus when teaching about religion and language.
Course Design: Depth over Breadth
The study of geography requires interdisciplinary thinking and draws on a vast number of topics This situation presents a dilemma for AP Human Geography teachers that often takes time and experience to solve: How can the necessary scope (breadth) of content that needs to be covered be balanced with the depth students need to understand a particular topic? If teachers can incorporate spatial thinking and analysis into their lessons, assignments, and presentations, then students will understand geographic data and apply geographic skills
Trang 14AP Course Audit and Curricular and Resource Requirements
Schools that intend to offer AP courses and label them as such on high school transcripts must provide evidence that the teachers of those courses (1) are aware of the curricular requirements as stipulated by the College Board and (2) have a plan to address those requirements Schools provide such evidence by submitting to the AP Course Audit a syllabus or course description for each proposed AP course Those syllabi are then reviewed by college professors who teach the equivalent introductory-level college courses Courses for which sufficient evidence is provided are then authorized by the College Board and are added to a list of such authorized courses The College Board makes that list available to colleges and universities so that they can verify AP courses that may be listed on student applicants’ high school transcripts.
The curricular requirements for AP Human Geography are as follows:
▶ The teacher has read the most recent AP Human Geography Course Description.
▶ The course provides a systematic study of human geography, including the following topics outlined in the course description:
› Geography: Its Nature and Perspectives
› Population and Migration
› Cultural Patterns and Processes
› Political Organization of Space
› Agriculture, Food Production, and Rural Land Use
› Industrialization and Economic Development
› Cities and Urban Land Use
▶ The course teaches the use of spatial concepts and landscape analysis to examine human organization of space.
▶ The course teaches spatial relationships at different scales ranging from the local to the global.
▶ The course teaches students how to use and interpret maps, data sets, and geographic models GIS, aerial photographs, and satellite images, though not required, can be used effectively in the course.
The resource requirements for the AP Human Geography course are as follows:
Trang 15▶ The school provides a collection of maps, atlases, and other resource materials (which could include data sources, case studies, mapping software, newspapers, and magazines) for use by students.
Trang 16Course Curriculum
General Learning Outcomes
By engaging in a college-level human geography course, students should learn to do the following:
▶ Read sophisticated texts and academic writings
▶ Write well-constructed essays and research reports
▶ Think critically by synthesizing a variety of perspectives and information from various sources
▶ Discuss controversial issues with maturity and openness
▶ Analyze various forms of geospatial data
▶ Present field work and/or research using both visual and oral formats
▶ Work collaboratively with fellow students to analyze real-world issues
Skills and Practices
This course requires students to read and write at a college level, think critically, analyze various forms of spatial data, engage in map interpretation and analysis, solve problems using mathematical computation formulas, and possibly enhance their computer literacy using various programs such as database spreadsheets and geographic information system (GIS) mapping programs Students should gain experience and expertise in conducting field studies, engaging in original research, analyzing academic writings, and writing academic reports In addition, AP Human Geography teachers should provide instruction on the following set of geographic skills from National Geographic’s “National Geography Standards and Skills”:
▶ Asking geographic questions
▶ Acquiring geographic information
▶ Organizing geographic information
▶ Analyzing geographic information
▶ Answering geographic questions
For a more in-depth treatment of discipline-specific skills that geographers use, teachers should consult the article by Dr Sarah W Bednarz, “Maps and Spatial-Thinking Skills in the AP Human Geography Classroom.” (See Essential Resources, p 57.)
World Regions Maps
Trang 17Although some regions are based on culture, others are defined by physiographic (i.e., physical geography) features Not all geographers agree on how each region is defined One geographer, for example, may place Armenia and Azerbaijan in the Middle East, whereas another may place them in Central Asia, as both countries were formerly parts of the Soviet Union Likewise, some geographers use the term Middle East, whereas others use Southwest Asia to describe the same region.
AP Human Geography: World Regions — A Big Picture View
Trang 18Curriculum Topics
The academic discipline of geography is divided into two main fields of study: human geography and physical geography This course deals with the human element and is divided into seven broad topical units of study There is no
prescribed sequence for teaching these seven topical units What is most important is that teachers be able to help students link units conceptually, as doing so will help students understand more thoroughly the interconnected nature of geography as a discipline.
I Geography: Its Nature and Perspectives
AP Human Geography emphasizes the importance of geography as a field of inquiry and introduces students to the concept of spatial organization Knowing the location of places, people, and events is a gateway to understanding complex environmental relationships and interconnections among places and across landscapes
Geographic concepts emphasized throughout the course are location, space, place, scale of analysis, pattern, regionalization, and globalization These concepts are basic to understanding spatial interaction and spatial behavior, the dynamics of human population growth and migration, patterns of culture, political control of territory, areas of agriculture production, the changing location of industry and economic development strategies, and evolving human settlement patterns, particularly urbanization Students learn how to use and interpret maps and spatial data, apply mathematical formulas, and interpret models in order to better understand the world from a spatial perspective.
The course enables students to consider the regional organization of various phenomena and encourages geographic analysis in order to understand processes in a changing world For example, geographic perspectives on the impact of human activities on the environment, from local to global scales, include effects on land, water, atmosphere, population, biodiversity, and climate These human ecological examples are inherent throughout the course, especially in topics dealing with population growth, agricultural and industrial practices, and rapid urbanization A significant outcome of the course is developing students’ awareness of geographic methods and the relevance of geospatial technologies to a variety of situations (e.g., everyday life, planning and public policy, professional decision making, problem solving at scales from local to global)
II Population and Migration
Understanding the ways in which human population is organized geographically helps students make sense of cultural patterns, political organization of space, food production issues, economic development concerns, natural resource use and decisions, and urban systems Therefore, many of the concepts and theories encountered in this part of the course connect with other course units Additionally, course themes of location, space, place, scale of analysis, and pattern can be
Trang 19Explanations of why the population is growing or declining in some places are based on patterns and trends in fertility, mortality, and migration For example, when learning about the relevance of place context and government policies, students may analyze fertility rates and age–sex structures (shown in population pyramids) in various countries Analyses of refugee flows, immigration, and internal migration help students understand the connections between population phenomena and other topics For example, environmental degradation and natural hazards may prompt population redistribution at various scales, which in turn creates new pressures on the environment, culture, and political institutions.This part of the course also enhances students’ critical understanding of population trends across space and over time as they consider models of population growth and decline, including Malthusian theory, the demographic transition, and the epidemiological (mortality) transition model Students can then evaluate the role, strengths, and weaknesses of major population policies, which attempt to either promote or restrict population growth.
III Cultural Patterns and Processes
Understanding the components and regional variations of cultural patterns and processes is critical to human geography Students begin with the concepts of culture and cultural traits and learn how geographers assess the spatial and place dimensions of cultural groups as defined by language, religion, ethnicity, and gender, in the present as well as the past.
The course explores cultural interaction at various scales, along with the
adaptations, changes, and conflicts that may result The geographies of language, religion, ethnicity, and gender are studied to identify and analyze patterns and processes of cultural differences Students learn to distinguish between languages and dialects, ethnic religions and universalizing religions, and folk and popular cultures, as well as between ethnic political movements These distinctions help students understand the forces that affect the geographic patterns of each cultural characteristic
Another important emphasis of the course is the way culture shapes relationships between humans and the environment Students learn how culture is expressed in landscapes and how land use, in turn, represents cultural identity Built environments enable the geographer to interpret cultural values, tastes,
symbolism, and beliefs For instance, when analyzing Amish communities in the Western Hemisphere, it is important to understand how their unique values and practices (e.g., lack of power lines to buildings and the use of preindustrial forms of transportation) influence the cultural landscape.
IV Political Organization of Space
Trang 20world map These forces include the rise of nation-states, especially in Europe; the influence of colonialism and imperialism; the rise of supranational organizations; and the devolution of states.
Students learn about the basic structure of the political map, including the
inconsistencies between maps of political boundaries and maps of ethnic, cultural, economic, and environmental patterns Additionally, students analyze forces that are changing the roles of individual countries in the modern world, such as ethnic separatism, terrorism, economic globalization, and social and environmental problems that cross international boundaries (e.g., climate change and acid rain) This part of the course also focuses on subnational and supranational political units For example, at the scale above the state level, attention is directed to regional alliances, such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the European Union, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) At the scale below the state level, students learn about the ways in which electoral districts, municipalities, indigenous areas, provinces, and autonomous lands affect political, social, and economic processes.
V Agriculture, Food Production, and Rural Land Use
Students examine geographic hearths where domestication of plants and animals first occurred and study the processes by which domesticated crops and animals spread This diffusion process helps explain why distinct regional patterns emerge in terms of diet, energy use, and the adaptation of biotechnology.
This part of the course also examines the major agricultural production regions of the world, which are categorized as commercial or subsistence operations and are characterized as extensive (e.g., shifting cultivation) or intensive (e.g., mixed crop/livestock) Agricultural production regions are examined, as are settlement patterns and landscapes typical of each major agriculture type Students learn about land survey systems, environmental conditions, sustainability, global food supply issues, and the cultural values that shape agricultural patterns In addition, this unit addresses the roles of women in agriculture production, particularly in subsistence farming and market economies in the developing world.
Students learn theories and models about patterns of rural land use and associated settlements (e.g., von Thunen’s land use model) They also study the impacts of large-scale agribusiness on food production and consumption The effects of economic and cultural globalization on agriculture and the need to increase food supplies and production capacity are also addressed.
VI Industrialization and Economic Development
Students learn about the geographic elements of industrialization and economic development, including past and present patterns of industrialization, types of economic sectors, and the acquisition of comparative advantage and
Trang 21The analysis of contemporary patterns of industrialization and their impact on development is another important focus Students use measures of development (e.g., gross domestic product per capita and the Human Development Index [HDI]) as tools to understand patterns of economic differences Additional topics to be studied include Weber’s industrial location theory and accounts of economic globalization, which accent time–space compression and the new international division of labor For example, students analyze the reasons why some Asian economies achieved rapid rates of growth in the mid- to late 20th century, whereas the economies of most countries south of the Sahara did not.
Students also examine the ways in which countries, regions, and communities must confront new patterns of economic inequality that are linked to geographies of interdependence in the world economy Relevant topics include the global financial crisis, the shift in manufacturing to newly industrialized countries (NICs), imbalances in consumption patterns, the roles of women in the labor force, energy use, the conservation of resources, and the impact of pollution on the environment and quality of life.
VII Cities and Urban Land Use
The course divides urban geography into two subfields The first is the study of systems of cities, focusing on the location of cities and why cities are where they are This study involves an examination of such topics as the current and historical distribution of cities; the political, economic, and cultural functions of cities; reasons for differential growth among cities; and types of transportation and communication linkages among cities Theories of settlement geography, such as Christaller’s central place theory, the rank-size rule, and the gravity model, are introduced Quantitative information on such topics as population growth, migration, zones of influence, and employment is used to analyze changes in the urban hierarchy.The second subfield of urban geography focuses on the form, internal structure, and landscapes of cities and emphasizes what cities are like as places to live and work Students are introduced to topics such as the analysis of patterns of urban land use, ethnic segregation, types of intracity transportation, architectural traditions (e.g., neoclassical, modern, and postmodern), cycles of uneven development, and environmental justice (e.g., the disproportionate location of polluting industries and brown fields in low-income or minority residential areas) Students’ understanding of cities as places is enhanced by both quantitative data from censuses and qualitative information from narrative accounts and field studies Students also learn about and apply models of internal city structure and development in the United States and Canada (e.g., Burgess concentric zone model, Hoyt sector model, Harris–Ullman multiple nuclei model, and galactic city model), examine the strengths and weaknesses of these models, and compare and contrast the models with the internal structure of cities outside North America.
Trang 22economic systems and cultural values can lead to variations in the spatial structures of urban landscapes.
Trang 23AP Human Geography Curriculum Articulation
The curriculum articulation below is designed to provide a clear and detailed description of the course curriculum and course content Based on the
Understanding by Design model (Wiggins and McTighe),3 the articulation provides the following:
▶ Enduring understandings, which describe core concepts that students should retain from their learning experiences
▶ Learning objectives, which describe what students are expected to be able to do by the end of the course
▶ Essential knowledge statements, which specify facts or content that students must know to be able to successfully demonstrate understanding of the learning objectives
The last column lists AP Human Geography Exam items that align with specific learning objectives or essential knowledge statements In that column, FRQ refers to released (published) free-response questions, MC refers to released multiple-choice questions, and PE refers to the practice exam that is accessible via the AP Course Audit account for teachers of College Board–authorized AP Human Geography courses PRB refers to Population Reference Bureau, which is a common resource for information used in the course.
I Geography: Its Nature and Perspectives
Enduring Understandings (Students will understand that …)Learning Objectives (Students will be
able to …) Essential Knowledge
(Students will know that …)
Examples or Resources
A Geography, as a field of inquiry, looks at the world from a spatial perspective.
Explain the importance of geography as a field of study.
Geographic information provides context for understanding spatial relationships and human–environment interaction
3 Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe, Understanding by Design (Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and
Trang 24Enduring Understandings (Students will understand that …)Learning Objectives (Students will be
able to …) Essential Knowledge
(Students will know that …)
Examples or Resources
B Geography offers a set of concepts, skills, and tools that facilitate critical thinking and problem solving Explain major geographical concepts underlying the geographic perspective.
Geographical concepts include location, place, scale, space, pattern, nature and society, networks, flows, regionalization, and globalization
Use landscape analysis to examine the human
organization of space
Landscape analysis (e.g., field observations, photographic interpretations) provides a context for understanding the location of people, places, regions, and events; human–environment relationships; and interconnections between and among places and regions.
2003 FRQ #2C Geographical skills provide a foundation for analyzing world patterns and processes
Use spatial thinking to analyze the human organization of space.
People apply spatial concepts to interpret and understand population and migration; cultural patterns and processes; political organization of space; agriculture, food production, and rural land use; industrialization and economic development; and cities and urban land use Use and interpret
maps.
Maps are used to represent and identify spatial patterns and processes at different scales.
2009 FRQ #1
Types of maps include reference maps (e.g., physical and political maps) and thematic maps (e.g., choropleth, dot, graduated symbol, isoline, cartogram)
PE MC #41
All map projections (e.g., Mercator, polar) inevitably distort spatial relationships (e.g., shape, area, distance, direction)
2006 MC #3
Apply mathematical formulas and graphs to interpret geographic concepts.
Trang 25Enduring Understandings (Students will understand that …)Learning Objectives (Students will be
able to …) Essential Knowledge
(Students will know that …)
Examples or ResourcesC Geographical skills provide a foundation for analyzing world patterns and processes.(continued)
Use and interpret geographic models.
Geographers use models as generalizations to think systematically about topics such as land use (e.g., von Thünen model, Latin American city model), industrial location (e.g., Weber model), and the distribution of settlements (e.g., Christaller’s central place theory) Use concepts such
as space, place, and region to examine geographic issues
Geographical issues include problems related to human–environmental interactions (e.g., sustainable agriculture); conflict and cooperation among countries (e.g., European Union); and planning and public-policy decision making (e.g., pronatalist policies) Interpret patterns
and processes at different scales.
Patterns and processes at different scales reveal variations in and different interpretations of data (e.g., age–sex pyramids, population density) Define region as a concept, identify world regions, and understand regionalization processes
Regions are defined on the basis of one or more unifying characteristics (e.g., corn belt) or on patterns of activity (e.g., hinterlands of ports).Types of regions include formal, functional, and perceptual.World regions are defined for this course by the maps in the course
curriculum section of the AP Human
Geography Course Description
World regions may overlap (e.g., Southeast Asia and Asia) and often have transitional boundaries (e.g., North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa).Explain and evaluate
the regionalization process.
Regional thinking is applied at local, national, and global scales
Regionalism refers to a group’s
perceived identification with a particular region at any scale (e.g., Quebec).
Trang 26Enduring Understandings (Students will understand that …)Learning Objectives (Students will be
able to …) Essential Knowledge
(Students will know that …)
Examples or ResourcesC Geographical skills provide a foundation for analyzing world patterns and processes.(continued)Analyze changing interconnections among places.Interconnections among places include exchanges of natural resources, agricultural commodities, finished products, services, people, information, money, and pollutants
PE MC #14, #19
D Geospatial technologies increase the capability for gathering and analyzing geographic information with applications to everyday life.
Use and interpret geospatial data
Geospatial technologies include geographic information systems (GIS), satellite navigation systems (e.g., global positioning system), remote sensing, and online mapping and visualization.
PE MC #3
Geospatial data (e.g., census data, satellite imagery) is used at all scales for personal (e.g., navigation), business (e.g.,
marketing), and governmental (e.g., environmental planning) purposes.
PE MC #4
E Field experiences continue to be important means of gathering geographic information and data
Use quantitative and qualitative geographic data.
Data may be gathered in the field by organizations (e.g., census data) or by individuals (e.g., interviews, surveys, photography, informal observations).
PE MC #68
Quantitative and qualitative geographic data are used in economic, environmental, political, and social decision making
Trang 27II Population and MigrationEnduring Understandings (Students will understand that )Learning Objectives
(Students are able to )
Essential Knowledge
(Students will know that )
Examples or ResourcesA Knowledge of the geographic patterns and characteristics of human populations facilitates understanding of cultural, political, economic, and urban systems Analyze the distribution of human populations at different scales
Factors that explain patterns of population distribution vary according to the scale of analysis (i.e., local to global)
2006 MC #9PRB
Physical factors (e.g., climate, land forms, water bodies) and human factors (e.g., cultural, economic, historical, political) influence the distribution of population.
2006 MC #18, #28
Use population density to explain the relationship between people and the environment
The three methods for calculating population density are arithmetic, physiological, and agricultural
PE MC #37Explain the implications of population distributions and densities.
Population distribution and density influence political, economic, and social processes (e.g., redistricting, provision of services such as medical care) Population distribution and density impact the environment and natural resources (e.g., carrying capacity)
2006 MC #44, #74
Population distribution and density affect the need for infrastructure (e.g., housing) and urban services (e.g., sanitation) Analyze population
composition.
Age, sex, and ethnicity are elements of population
composition that may be mapped and graphed at various scales.
PE MC #7PRB
Population pyramids are used to project population growth and decline and to predict markets for goods and services.
Trang 28Enduring Understandings
(Students will understand that )
Learning Objectives
(Students are able to )
Essential Knowledge
(Students will know that )
Examples or Resources
B Populations grow and decline over time and space.
Explain contemporary and historical trends in population growth and decline.
Demographic factors that determine population growth and decline are fertility, mortality, and migration
PRB
Rates of natural increase and population-doubling times are used to explain population growth and decline.
PE MC #29PRB
Social, cultural, political, and economic factors influence fertility, mortality, and migration rates Interpret and apply
theories of population growth and decline.
The demographic transition model may be used to explain population change over time and space
2006 MC #492010 FRQ #3PE MC #50Malthusian theory is used to
analyze population change and its consequences.
2011 FRQ #2
The epidemiologic transition explains causes of changing death rates.Evaluate various
national and international population policies.
Types of population policies include those that promote or restrict population growth (e.g., pronatalist, antinatalist).Analyze reasons for
changes in fertility rates in different parts of the world.
Changing social values and access to education, employment, health care, and contraception have reduced fertility rates in most parts of the world.
PE MC #22
Changing social, economic, and political roles for women have influenced the patterns of fertility, mortality, and migration.
2008 FRQ #3
Explain the causes and implications of an aging population
Population aging is influenced by birth and death rates and life expectancy.
2013 FRQ #2
An aging population has social (e.g., retirement), economic (e.g., dependency ratio), and political (e.g., voting patterns) implications
Trang 29Enduring Understandings
(Students will
understand that ) Learning Objectives (Students are able to ) Essential Knowledge (Students will know that ) Examples or Resources
C Causes and consequences of migration are influenced by cultural, demographic, economic, environmental, and political factors
Explain how push and pull factors contribute to migration.
Push and pull factors can be cultural (e.g., religious freedom), demographic (e.g., unbalanced sex ratios, overpopulation), economic (e.g., jobs), environmental (e.g., natural disasters), or political (e.g., persecution)
2003 FRQ #32005 FRQ #2PE MC #10
Push factors are often negative (e.g., poor economic conditions, warfare), while pull factors are often perceived as positive (e.g., a better quality of life, economic opportunities).
2005 FRQ #22012 FRQ #3PE MC #74
Apply the concepts of forced and voluntary migration to historical and contemporary examples.
Forced migrations include those involving refugees, internally displaced persons, and asylum seekers.
2006 MC #8, #10
Voluntary migrations may be transnational, internal, chain, step, and rural to urban
2006 FRQ #12008 FRQ #2PE MC #45Patterns of voluntary and forced
migration may be affected by distance and physical features.
2008 FRQ #2
Analyze major historical migrations.
Major historical migrations include forced migration of Africans to the Americas, immigration waves to the U.S., and emigration from Europe and Asia to colonies abroad.
2005 FRQ #2PE MC #75Analyze the cultural, economic, environmental, and political consequences of migration.
Governments institute policies to encourage or restrict migration Migration has consequences (e.g., remittances; spread of languages, religions, innovations, diseases) for areas that generate or receive migrants.
Trang 30III Cultural Patterns and ProcessesEnduring Understandings (Students will understand that )Learning Objectives
(Students are able to )
Essential Knowledge
(Students will know that )
Examples or Resources
A Concepts of culture frame the shared behaviors of a society
Explain the concept of culture and identify cultural traits.
Culture is comprised of the shared practices, technologies, attitudes, and behaviors transmitted by a society.
PE MC #47
Cultural traits are individual elements of culture and include such things as food preferences, architecture, and land use.Explain how
geographers assess the spatial and place dimensions of cultural groups in the past and present.
Geographers use maps and the spatial perspective to analyze and assess language, religion, ethnicity, and gender
2009 FRQ #1Explain how globalization is influencing cultural interactions and change Communication technologies (e.g., the Internet) are reshaping and accelerating interactions among people and places and changing cultural practices (e.g., use of English, loss of indigenous languages)
2007 FRQ #2
B Culture varies by place and region
Explain cultural patterns and landscapes as they vary by place and region.
Regional patterns of language, religion, and ethnicity contribute to a sense of place, enhance place making, and shape the global cultural landscape
2002 FRQ #22006 MC #71PE MC #15
Language patterns and distributions can be represented on maps, charts, and language trees
PE MC #2, #43, #65
Religious patterns and
distributions can be represented on maps and charts
2009 FRQ #1PE MC #28, #58Ethnicity and gender reflect
cultural attitudes that shape the use of space (e.g., women in the workforce, ethnic neighborhoods)
2002 FRQ #3
Language, religion, ethnicity, and gender are essential to
understanding landscapes symbolic of cultural identity (e.g., signs, architecture, sacred sites)
Trang 31Enduring Understandings
(Students will
understand that ) Learning Objectives (Students are able to ) Essential Knowledge (Students will know that ) Examples or Resources
B Culture varies by place and region.
(continued)
Explain the diffusion of culture and cultural traits through time and space
Types of diffusion include
expansion (contagious, hierarchical, stimulus) and relocation
Language families, languages, dialects, world religions, ethnic cultures, and gender roles diffuse from cultural hearths, resulting in interactions between local and global forces that lead to new forms of cultural expression (e.g., lingua franca).
2006 MC #11, #682007 FRQ #2
Colonialism, imperialism, and trade helped to shape patterns and practices of culture (e.g., language, religion).Acculturation, assimilation, and multiculturalism are shaped by the diffusion of culture.Compare and
contrast ethnic and universalizing religions and their geographic patterns
Ethnic religions (e.g., Hinduism, Judaism) are generally found near the hearth or spread through relocation diffusion.
2006 MC #36, #59
Universalizing religions (e.g., Christianity, Islam, Buddhism) are spread through expansion and relocation diffusion.
2006 MC #36, #38
Explain how culture is expressed in landscapes and how land and resource use represents cultural identity.
Cultural landscapes are amalgamations of physical features, agricultural and industrial practices, religious and linguistic characteristics, and other expressions of culture (e.g., architecture).
2002 FRQ #22006 MC #31
Compare and contrast popular and folk culture and the geographic patterns associated with each.
Folk culture origins are usually anonymous and rooted in tradition and are often found in rural or isolated indigenous communities
2006 MC #5, #19
Popular culture origins are often urban, changeable, and influenced by media
Trang 32IV Political Organization of Space
Enduring Understandings
(Students will
understand that ) Learning Objectives (Students are able to ) Essential Knowledge (Students will know that ) Examples or Resources
A The contemporary political map has been shaped by events of the past
Explain the structure of the contemporary political map.
Independent states are the primary building blocks of the world political map.
2006 MC #12
Types of political entities include nations, states, nation-states, stateless nations, multinational states, multistate nations, and autonomous regions.Explain the evolution
of the contemporary political map.
The concept of the modern nation-state began in Europe
2002 FRQ #1PE MC #12Colonialism and imperialism
led to the spread of nationalism and influenced contemporary political boundaries.
Evaluate the geopolitical forces that influence the contemporary political map
Independence movements and democratization have shaped the political map since the end of World War II The fall of Communism ended the Cold War, led to the creation of newly independent states, and changed the world balance of power.B Spatial political
patterns reflect ideas of territoriality and power at a variety of scales
Explain the concepts of political power and territoriality.
Political power is expressed geographically as control over people, land, and resources (e.g., heartland, rimland, and organic theories).
Trang 33Enduring Understandings
(Students will understand that )
Learning Objectives
(Students are able to )
Essential Knowledge
(Students will know that )
Examples or Resources
B Spatial political patterns reflect ideas of territoriality and political power at a variety of scales.
(continued)
Evaluate the nature and function of international and internal boundaries.
Boundaries are defined, delimited, demarcated, and administered.
2012 FRQ #1
International boundaries establish the limits of sovereignty and can be the source of disputes
PE MC #73
Boundaries can influence identity and promote or prevent international or internal interactions and exchanges.
PE MC #67
The Law of the Sea has enabled states to extend their boundaries offshore, which sometimes results in conflicts
2006 MC #64
Voting districts, redistricting, and gerrymandering influence the results of elections at various scales.
2006 MC #22
Analyze the spatial relationships between political systems and patterns of culture and economy.
Political boundaries do not always coincide with patterns of language, religion, ethnicity, nationality, and economy.
2014 FRQ #2PE MC #45
Compare and contrast forms of governance.
Forms of governance include unitary states (centralized government) and federal states Powers of the subdivisions of states vary according to the form of governance (e.g., the United States and Switzerland as federal states, France as a unitary state).
PE MC #36
State morphology (e.g., compact, elongated, perforated, fragmented, prorupted states) has economic, political, and social implications
2006 MC #20PE MC #31
Describe patterns of local and metropolitan governance.
Trang 34Enduring Understandings
(Students will
understand that ) Learning Objectives (Students are able to ) Essential Knowledge (Students will know that ) Examples or Resources
C The forces of globalization challenge contemporary political–territorial arrangements.
Explain how the political, economic, cultural, and technological elements of globalization challenge state sovereignty
Some forces that may lead to supranationalism include economies of scale, trade agreements, military alliances, and transnational environmental challenges
2005 FRQ #12006 MC #21, #29, #75
Supranationalism is expressed in the creation of multinational organizations (e.g., UN, NATO, EU, ASEAN, NAFTA)
PE MC #52
Some forces that may lead to devolution of states include physical geography, ethnic separatism, terrorism, economic and social problems, and irredentism Devolution is expressed in the fragmentation of states into autonomous regions (e.g., Nunavut, Native American reservations), subnational political–territorial units (e.g., Spain, Belgium, Canada), or Balkanization (e.g., former Yugoslavia, the Caucasus) Advances in communication technology have facilitated devolution, supranationalism, and democratization
2005 FRQ #1
Apply the concepts of centrifugal and centripetal forces at the national scale.
Centrifugal forces can originate in political dimensions (e.g., majority/minority relationships, armed conflicts), economic dimensions (e.g., uneven development), or cultural dimensions (e.g., stateless nations, ethnic movements)
2006 MC #562006 FRQ #32010 FRQ #2PE MC #49, #61
Centripetal forces can originate in political dimensions (e.g., national identity), economic dimensions (e.g., equitable infrastructure development), or cultural dimensions (e.g., linguistic, religious, and ethnic similarities)
Trang 35V Agriculture, Food Production, and Rural Land UseEnduring Understandings (Students will understand that )Learning Objectives
(Students are able to )
Essential Knowledge
(Students will know that )
Examples or ResourcesA The development of agriculture led to widespread alteration of the natural environment
Identify major centers of domestication of plants and animals and patterns of diffusion in the first (Neolithic) agricultural revolution.
Early hearths of domestication of plants and animals include Southwest Asia (e.g., the Fertile Crescent), Southeast Asia, and the Americas
2006 MC #6PE MC #17, #18
Patterns of diffusion (e.g., Columbian Exchange) resulted in the globalization of various plants and animals.
Explain the connection between physical geography and agricultural practices.
Agricultural regions are influenced by the natural environment (e.g., climate, soils, landforms)
PE MC #46
Populations alter the landscape (e.g., terraces, irrigation, deforestation, draining wetlands) to increase food production
2006 MC #34
Explain the advances and impacts of the second agricultural revolution.
New technology and increased food production led to better diet, longer life, and more people available for work in factories Analyze the
consequences of the Green Revolution on food supply and the environment.
The Green Revolution began with the development of high-yield seeds (e.g., rice, wheat, maize), resulting in the increased use of chemical and mechanized farming
2001 FRQ #12006 MC #4
Trang 36Enduring Understandings
(Students will
understand that ) Learning Objectives (Students are able to ) Essential Knowledge (Students will know that ) Examples or Resources
B Major agricultural regions reflect physical geography and economic forces.
Identify agricultural production regions associated with major bioclimatic zones.
Plant and animal production is dependent on climatic conditions, including spatial variations in temperature and rainfall.Some agricultural regions are associated with particular bioclimatic zones (e.g.,
Mediterranean, shifting agriculture, pastoral nomadism) 2006 MC #41, #662012 FRQ #2PE MC #1, #27, #32, #33, #70Analyze the economic
forces that influence agricultural practices
Agricultural production regions are defined by the extent to which they reflect subsistence or commercial practices, or intensive or extensive use of land
2006 MC #2PE MC #40
Intensive farming practices include market gardening, plantation agriculture, mixed crop/livestock systems, etc Extensive farming practices include shifting cultivation, nomadic herding, ranching, etc.
PE MC #53
Explain the spatial organization of large-scale commercial agriculture and agribusiness.
Large-scale commercial agricultural operations are replacing small family farms
2009 FRQ #3
The transformation of agriculture into large-scale agribusiness has resulted in complex commodity chains linking production and consumption of agricultural products.
2006 MC #70
Technological improvements have changed the economies of scale in the agricultural sector.
2006 MC #27Explain the interdependence among regions of food production and consumption.
Food is part of a global supply chain; products from less developed low-latitude regions (e.g., coffee, bananas) are often consumed globally
2014 FRQ #3PE MC #57
Trang 37Enduring Understandings
(Students will
understand that ) Learning Objectives (Students are able to ) Essential Knowledge (Students will know that ) Examples or Resources
C Settlement patterns and rural land use are reflected in the cultural landscape.
Identify rural settlement patterns.
Rural settlement patterns are classified as clustered, dispersed, or linear.
PE MC #51, #57, #63
Compare and contrast the land use zones of von Thünen’s model.
Von Thünen’s model helps to explain rural land use by emphasizing the importance of transportation costs associated with distance from the market.
2008 FRQ #1
Analyze the application of von Thünen’s land use model to agricultural production in the real world.
Von Thünen’s model helps explain the contemporary distribution of agricultural regions (e.g., dairy, horticulture, wheat).
2007 FRQ #1PE MC #64
Regions of specialty farming (e.g., South Florida, California’s Central Valley) do not always conform to von Thünen’s concentric rings.Evaluate the
environmental consequences of agricultural practices.
Environmental systems are affected by land use/land cover change (e.g., irrigation, desertification, deforestation, wetland destruction, conservation efforts).D Changes in food production and consumption present challenges and opportunities
Explain issues related to the changing nature of contemporary agriculture.
Agricultural innovations (e.g., biotechnology, genetically modified organisms, organic farming, aquaculture) have resulted in ongoing debates over environmental, cultural, and health impacts
Environmental issues related to agriculture include sustainability, soil degradation, reduction in biodiversity, overgrazing, river and aquifer depletion, animal wastes, and extensive fertilizer and pesticide use.Patterns of food production and consumption are influenced by food-choice issues (e.g., organic farming, value-added specialty crops, fair trade, local-food movements).
Trang 38Enduring Understandings
(Students will understand that )
Learning Objectives
(Students are able to )
Essential Knowledge
(Students will know that )
Examples or ResourcesD Changes in food production and consumption present challenges and opportunities.(continued)
Explain issues related to the location of food-production facilities.
Factors affecting the location of food-processing facilities include markets, economies of scale, transportation, government policies, etc.
2004 FRQ #22006 MC #33
Explain the changing role of women in food production and consumption.
The role of women in food production has changed (e.g., food gathering, farming, managing agribusiness)
Trang 39VI Industrialization and Economic DevelopmentEnduring Understandings (Students will understand that )Learning Objectives
(Students are able to )
Essential Knowledge
(Students will know that )
Examples or Resources
A The Industrial Revolution, as it diffused from its hearth, facilitated improvements in standards of living
Explain the role of the Industrial Revolution in the growth and diffusion of industrialization.
Industrialization began in response to new technologies and was facilitated by the availability of natural resources (e.g., water power, coal, iron ore).The diffusion of industrialization led to growing populations and increased food supplies, which freed workers to seek industrial jobs in cities.Increased industrialization led to demands for raw materials and the search for new markets and was a factor in the rise of colonialism and imperialism.Identify the different
economic sectors.
The economy consists of primary, secondary, tertiary, quaternary, and quinary sectors.
2006 MC #15PE MC #20, #66Use Weber’s model to explain industrial location.
Alfred Weber’s model of industrial location emphasized the owner’s desire to minimize transportation and labor costs and maximize agglomeration economies.2006 MC #23, #39, #402010 FRQ #12011 FRQ #3B Measures of development are used to understand patterns of social and economic differences at a variety of scales
Explain social and economic measures of development.
Measures of social and economic development include Gross National Income (GNI) per capita, sectoral structure of an economy, income distribution, fertility rates, infant mortality rates, access to health care, and literacy rates.
2006 MC #7
Measures of gender inequality include reproductive health, indices of empowerment, and labor-market participation.
2008 FRQ #3
Trang 40Enduring Understandings
(Students will
understand that ) Learning Objectives (Students are able to ) Essential Knowledge (Students will know that ) Examples or Resources
B Measures of development are used to understand patterns of social and economic differences at a variety of scales.
(continued)
Analyze spatial patterns of
economic and social development
Models like Rostow’s Stages of Economic Growth and Wallerstein’s World System Theory help explain spatial variations in development.
2001 FRQ #32006 MC #722014 FRQ #1PE MC #11PE MC #42The U.N Millennium
Development Goals help measure progress in development In contrast to the periphery and semiperiphery, the core countries achieved dominance through industrial production of goods.Evaluate the role of
women in economic development and gender equity in the workforce.
Although there are more women in the workforce, they do not have equity in wages or employment opportunities.Microloans have provided opportunities for women to create small local businesses, which have improved standards of living.C Development is a
process that varies across space and time
Analyze the causes and consequences of international trade and growing interdependence in the world economy.
Complementarity and comparative advantage establish the basis for trade
PE MC #39
International trade and trading blocs (e.g., EU and NAFTA) have become more important as a result of globalization.
2006 MC #14, #42PE MC #69Geographies of interdependence
in the world economy include global financial crises, the shift in manufacturing to newly
industrialized countries, imbalances in consumption patterns, and the roles of women in the labor force.